Business Research Skills as Facilitators of Biopharmaceutical Non-Core Patent Out-Licensing

Abstract

A European Commission report into patent licensing (Radauer and Dudenbostel 2013) concluded that the technology industry out-licenses more non-core patents than the pharmaceutical industry. A literature review suggests that this variation may be due to the perceived risks associated with holding patents in both industries, and these differences influence business models within each industry.

Two distinct groups of patent professionals were identified; those within technology (referred to in this paper as technology patent professionals, or TPPs) and those in the Swiss pharmaceutical industry (or SPPPs). From a review of the literature, five business research skills were identified as being effective facilitators of successful patent licensing. Statistical analyses of the survey responses show that TPPs are more proficient in these skills than SPPPs. This discrepancy suggests a need for SPPPs to receive more business research training to achieve higher levels of non-core patent out-licensing.

Findings from this study are used to develop a new workflow model that encompasses the application of these research skills to generate economic value in the form of extra revenue and cost savings. The global applicability of this model is suggested as an area for future research. 

Keywords: European commission, business research skills, pharmaceutica insudtry, TPPS, SPPPs, Biopharmaceutical, patent licensing